PHUKET suffered a total power blackout that plunged the island into darkness for 40 minutes to an hour early tonight.

Street lights came back on in Phuket City about 7.20pm but other parts of the island remained in darkness longer.

Patong, the island's leading tourist centre, was in darkness until 8pm. Police said the electricity there had failed at 4pm.

Given that the island is as packed as it is going to get for months to come and tomorrow night is New Year's Eve, what must the tourist visitors be thinking?

Residential parts of Chalong were still in the dark until 8.40pm.

The wide failure caused chaos on the roads and occurred as many people were sitting down to their evening meal, leaving families to eat in total darkness or by candlelight.

Others would have finished cooking in the dark, provided they used gas.

Everything went black soon after Governor Preecha Ruangjan had opened the annual Red Cross festival at Saphan Hin public park.

One wag joked that perhaps it was part of a protest action by supporters of the Yellow Cross.



Lights went out everywhere, including Central Festival, where a diner in a Japanese restaurant called Phuketwan to say it was much more romantic in the dark.

Auxilliary power kicked in at the shopping mall and at other places with generators, including, we hope, all hospitals, and on the stage and the lottery stall at the Red Cross festival.

Early reports attributed the power failure to a failed connection with the island's mainland supply, which comes from Chiewlarn Dam in Surathani.

Red Cross Fair, Phuket City, Dec 30-Jan 10
A 12 day fair at Saphan Hin public park will boost the ability of the Red Cross/Red Crescent to supply blood as well as help with other regional health projects.
Red Cross Fair Phuket City, Dec 30-Jan 10